Review: Arsene's Little Red Book!

Sometimes when you write a review it's because it needs to be done. Sometimes you're lucky and it's something you actually want to review. Sometimes, just occasionally, you get to write a review on something that you feel strongly about and this is, fortunately, one of those.

It's been a long journey for David Manson from having the idea for this book to actually getting a publisher to back it. In time we're talking a years, but in effort...

David first came up with the idea around the time of the 2002 double when old Red Nose totally lost it after Arsène's 'Prettiest wife at home' quip. David and his brother started keeping a particular eye out for what Arsène was saying and by the spring of 2004 David had 110 copies of a little red book printed and ready for sale.

David had collected together 368 of his favourite quotes and grouped them together into chapters. A mate at a printing firm got it printed (although I get the feeling that the price wasn't that matey!) and after binding them himself he popped them in a holdall and set off for Highbury. One holdall, three trips to Highbury, some time standing on Avenel Road, and they were all gone.

I first saw a copy of it in the 12 Pins after a game (I guess it would have been the second one they were being sold at). A friend had a copy and was passing it round. Straight away I wanted a copy of my own, and I certainly didn't seem to be alone.

Anyway, at the next game we searched out the mythical 'Man with the Holdall', for some strange reason (pre-match alcohol?) expecting to find an Alec Guinness type figure. We didn't find Alec Guinness but fortunately we did find David and his books. We had a little chat and it turned out he was nearly sold out but fancied trying to take it on to the next level by being formally published.

Now in my view the idea is one of those ones that is so simple that you kick yourself that you didn't think of it! Arsène Wenger is certainly one of the most eloquent (and dry) managers that we've seen in England. Sometimes when I read a cutting one liner from Arsène I can't help a little fist clenched punch at the air. It's not the same as when Arsenal score obviously, but it's on the same page of feelings.

So I asked David if anyone had done a review of the book and he surprised me by saying that although he had contacted a lot of Arsenal sites (not this one I hasten to add) no one had even replied! I offered to do a review of the original, and it went up in October 2004.

Although it didn't directly bring a publisher to his door, David has no doubt that being able to quote the review (and another in his local paper) helped provide ammunition to use on publishers, and finally Virgin saw the light and chose to publish it. And I've got a copy here.

The book has grown greatly. Against the original 368 quotes there are now over 750. So basically it's twice the book, although it's still a good size to keep in a pocket. There are a couple of changes in chapter titles and such like, but the bottom line is it's twice as many Wengerisms as you got before.

When I did the first review I copied a few of the quotes into the article; this time I'm going to quote some of David's words. Each chapter in the book is prefaced by an introduction to 'set the scene' for the chapter, and David has expanded them from the first book. In a chapter headed 'Discipline 1' part of the introduction reads:

"Arsène Wenger may be one of the most visionary coaches ever to work in English football, but there can be no doubt that, on certain occasions, the gift of sight seems to depart him."

Nice little scene setters, never more than a page long, but they succinctly explain what's ahead.

Oh go on then, a couple of Wengerisms. I've tried to pick a couple of the less remembered ones, although all your favourites are in there as well.

18-05-99 ('to' Anelka): "Leaving Arsenal would be an enormous strategic error."

24-03-97 (about Fowlers appeals to the ref not to give a penalty, and the ref ignoring him): "It is a great gesture by Fowler and I would like to give him an award of fair play. But if he got that I'd also have to give the referee an award for stupidity."

05-05-2001 (after an incident with the FAW Mark Viduka): "I saw Martin Keown defend himself with his elbow."

Late 1996: "If you project into the future, the best teams in England will play with seven or eight foreign players."

Go on, reward David for his efforts and reward yourself for supporting a team with the foresight to appoint Arsène Wenger. You really won't regret it.

"Quotations From The Public Comments of Arsène Wenger" is published by Virgin with a cover price of £5.99. (ISBN 0-7535-1056-1)

The book is also available with a 20% discount on Amazon.

You can also read an interview with David about the book and the problems he faced.

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